1. Field of the Invention
The present invention discloses a modified stop rivet design incorporated into a motorized vehicle seat assembly. More specifically, the stop rivet incorporates a rubberized outer ring, and which functions as a support pin to provide protection against buzz (i.e., vibration), squeak and rattle between a fixed seat frame and a pivotally associated seat back arm between design (upright) and load (floor) positions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is documented with examples of vehicle reclining control and impact mechanisms. A first example is set forth in Andersson, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0090101, which teaches a vehicle seat recliner assembly including an impact control mechanism operatively connected between a seat back and seat bottom. The impact mechanism selectively allows movement of the seat back relative to the seat bottom and includes a release plate movable between first and second positions and a crash latch which selectively engages the seat support member depending upon the position of the release plate.
Magyar, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0135215, teaches a recliner assembly with a seat bracket fixed to a seat back and rotatably assembled to a seat cushion bracket. A shaft is rotatably journaled through inner and outer assembled discs. Of note, a striker pin extends outwardly from the seat back bracket and is selectively engaged by a pivotal latch link mounted to the outer disc in order to permit selective pivotal motion of the seat back. A biasing member includes first and second ends extending between the outer disc and latch link for continuously biasing the slot into latching engagement with the striker pin at the lower end of the seat back bracket.
Asano, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0125756, teaches a reclining mechanism having first and second arm members secured, respectively, to the frame structure of a seat cushion and backrest of the vehicle seat. A hinge pin pivotally interconnects the first and second arms and includes a semicircular ratchet portion concentric with the hinge pin. Additional features include the provision of a slide pawl and cam element for selectively disengaging the slide pawl from the ratchet portion of the first arm member. The hinge pin is loaded by a torsion spring to bias the cam element in the lateral direction for maintaining the slide pawl in engagement with the ratchet portion of the second arm member.
Sugimoto, U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,828, teaches a seat reclining apparatus with vibration sound insulation and which includes a pair of base plates adapted to be secured to a seat cushion and a pair of arm plates secured to a seat back. An interlocking shaft allows pivotal movement of the pair of arm plates at substantially the same time relative to the pair of base plates. A link plate is formed on the interlocking shaft, through an opening of which is attached a sound insulating member. A pin connects with one of the arm plates and is disposed through the opening of the link plate such that the pin is allowed to sound attenuatingly abut against the inside edge of the sound-insulating member when the link plate is rotated by the interlocking shaft.
Idlani et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,439, teaches a recliner mechanism for a seat assembly in which the seat back is pivotally mounted to the seat cushion by an eccentric pivot pin, and which enables the location of the seat back pivot point to be adjusted during assembly. The seat back forms a sector gear meshing with a pinion gear on a seat cushion as part of the recliner mechanism and, by adjusting the position of the seat back pivot point, backlash between the sector gear and pinion gear is eliminated.
Finally, Sweers, U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,092, discloses a composite anchor for mounting a seat cushion frame to a vehicle floor panel. Of note, the anchor member includes a plastic lower shell bonded to an upper rubber seal ring, which provides a right-angled section defining a horizontal sealing lip portion and vertical neck portion formed with a resilient shoulder adapted to lockingly engage a rolled edge of a floor panel aperture.